Cup dispenser with revolving adapter

ABSTRACT

A carrier comprising a stand with an elevated bearing means rotatably carrying an adapter supporting mountings at various heights, for replaceably securing and transporting a plurality of vertically disposed elongated cup dispensers into convenient proximity to the person withdrawing various cups of selected size or kind therefrom.

1451 Oct. 31, 1972 .....3l2/97.l X

[54 cup DISPENSER WITH REVOLVING ADAPTER 3 8 2 l. 2 2 mm, .5 ZH 31 57 99 ll 58 73 09 21w 92 30 fiwfiw 2 3 [72] Inventor: William G. Anderson, 5942 Gildred Circle, Huntington Beach, Calif. Primary Emmmerstanley Tflllbel'g 92647 Attorney-William H. Maxwell [221 Filed: Feb. 26, 1911 [211 Appl. No.1 119,176

A carrier comprising a stand with an elevated bearing means rotatably carrying an adapter supporting 8 59/06 mountings at various heights, for replaceably securing [58] i 283, 121 and transporting a plurality of vertically disposed elon I 221/122, 132; 312/43, 97.1; 21 1/7g 1 g d cup disp nsers into convenient'proximity to the 6 176 personwithdrawing various cups of selected size or kind therefrom.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,286,675 12/1918 Lissmann........ .....312/97.1'x

PATENTEDnmm m2 /A/V ra/? M74 'am 6. Anderson SMALL SHALLW coP 1 CUP DISPENSER-WITH REVOLVING ADAPTER BACKGROUND Cups and the like are dispensed from chutes or tube like dispensers adapted to store a stacked supply thereof, to be withdrawn one at a time. Such cups are made ofpaper and various plastic materials, varying in diameterand in depth. The cupdiameters, at the rim,

are furnishedin several standardized sizes; and they are also furnishedin several different depths. In any event, there is a dozen (more or less) differentsizes or kinds of cups; wherein the manufacturers furnish dispensers of utilitarian quality to the customers who consume their cups. In practice, there are slight variationsin cup dimensions which often require adjustments of the dispenser furnished therefor, the dispenser tube lengths vary, and the mountings therefor'differand require different positioning dependent upon the depth of cup to be withdrawn individually therefrom. Since counter- FIELD OF INVENTION A general object of this invention is to'provide acarrier for transporting a complete complement of cup dispensers into convenient proximity of persons withdrawing the cups therefrom for use. For practical purposes, several sizes or kinds of cups are to be dispensed and one or more dispenser for each .is to be supported by thecarrier for selective transport into a convenient position for withdrawal of individual cups.

It is an object of this invention to provide a revolvable adapter having the ability to support mountings for rotatably supporting and transporting cup dispensers adjusted to various heights for convenience of withdrawal dependent upon thedepth of the individual cups to be extracted therefrom.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a knock-down assembly that is easily erected of the fewest simply formed parts; and a stable assembly when erected, despite the extensive columnar dispensing tubes, and all without resort to the usual extensive base platforms.

It is still another object of this invention to provide convenience in the adjustability and replacement of cup dispensers, wherein compactness is at a balance with adaptability to dispensers throughout the range of diameters in which cups are furnished. With the DRAWINGS FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan section taken as indicated byline 330n FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detailed enlargement taken as indicated by line 4-4 on FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a full complement of cup dispensers C1 to C6 are shown as they are replaceably secured to the'adapter A which characterizes this revolvable cup dispenser. At the outset it is to be understood that these cupdispensers are very simple in form and designed as such for facility in cleaning; and in other words for sanitary purposes, being made of highly polished sheet metal or the like. In practice, the cupdispensers C1 to C6 arealike and each involves a tubular right cylinder 10 of the sheet metal, preferably substantially hard stainless steel having resilience. The sheet metal is initially tubular in its form with an overlapped seam or vertical margins held together at the top end of the tube as by means of a rivet 1 1 and heldtogether at thebottom end of the tube as by means of a screw fastener 12. The fasteners 12 ex tend through slots 13 in the overlapped seam construction and a wingnut 14 is provided to clamp the seam to a fixed diameter when the proper adjustment thereof is determined. The lower terminal end of the right present invention, the dispensers are adjustably supported upon mountings applied to the adapter, as best "suited to the depth of cups to be withdrawn, and the retain a stack of cups therein dependent upon the rim diameter of the particular cups to be dispensed.

cylinder 10 is provided with circumferentially spaced indentations 15 that engageably supportthe stack of cups to be retained within theright cylinder 10. Thus, the dispensers C1 to C6 are expansible and contractible as circumstances require'to support supply stacks of cups that vary in rim diameter, the cups being manually forced to pass the indentations 15 by engaging and withdrawing the same downwardly one at a time.

The dispensers C1 to C6 are each secured by a mounting means B to the adapter A, so that the dispenser lies on a vertical axis next to the adapter. Although the mounting means B can vary, they are designed to secure the tubular dispensers against a flat wall or the like, and to this end typical mounting means B are shown wherein complementary wedge-shaped dovetailed members are frictionally engaged one with the other. As shown, the mounting members 16 and 17 are heavy sheet metal parts, the back side of member 16 being secured to the dispenser cylinder 10 by said screw fasteners 12, and the back side of member 17 being secured to the adapter A by screw fasteners 18. The complementary members 16 and 17 are downwardly convergent for positioned engagement one with the other. In practice, such mountings are provided with a pair of vertically spaced holes for the reception of the fasteners 18, these holes being spaced a nominal 2 inches apart.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the prior art has developed simple but sophisticated cup dispensers and mountings therefor, wherein the fewest and least complicated parts are involved, and all of which enhances the sanitary requirements that are imposed. The dispensers are vertically disposed, ranging in diameter from several inches to as much as 4 inches or more, while the depth of the dispensers is normally about 30 inches. Therefore, the general dimensioning of the dispenser stand S and adapter A' will be expressed as related to a most practical proportioning for a compact and versatile apparatus adapted to conveniently transport these dispensers into convenient proximity to the persons withdrawing the various cups therefrom.

In accordance with this invention, the characteristic adapter A is elevated and rotatably supported by bearing means and is revolvable thereon on a vertical axis. As shown in FIG. 1, the dispensers C1, C2 and C3 are each secured to mounting means B installed on the adapter A at different heights, there being substantially uniform space beneath the bottoms of the cups that depend different distances beneath the lower terminal ends of the dispensers respectively. The arrangement and installation of dispensers C1, C2 and C3 can be repeated in the arrangement and installation of dispen sers C4, C5 and C6, as shown.

The stand S is a stable element having a weighted base 20 with a vertically disposed column 21 projecting upwardly therefrom to carry a bearing 22. The base 20 is a casting of heavy metal or the like and has a flat bottom substantially 8 inches in diameter and that has a decorative upper face 23 of polished metal that is easily cleaned. The column 21 is a thin walled tube, also of polished metal that is easily cleaned, projecting substantially l foot above the bottom of the base. The bearing 22 is a combined radial and axial thrust bearing, having a cylindrical pivot 24 projecting on a vertical axis from a horizontally disposed support flange 25. The said flange is incorporated in a nut 26 centered on the column 21 and that receives both the pivot 24 and an opposed and downwardly extending tie-rod 27 that projects through a centering washer 28 and through a central opening in the base 20, secured under tension by a nut 29 tightened against the base within a bottom recess. Thus, an easily assembled and stable columnar,

support is provided and which elevates the bearing 22 on its vertical axis as shown.

The adapter A is a rotatable means, the position of which is manually advanced so as to advantageously transport the required dispenser into a position from which a cup is manually extractible therefrom. Adapter A replaces the usual static wall or rack and makes possible the compact arrangement and storage of a maximum number of a variety of types of cups. In practice, the adapter A can be polygonal in cross section and for all practical purposes is preferably a cylinder of substantial diameter so as to present a vertically disposed wall 30 that is nearly flat and onto which the mountings B bear tangentially as shown. From FIG. 1 it will be observed that the dispensers are for example six in number and arranged in an equally spacedcircumferential series with their centers on an approximate mean common diameter and spaced thereon sufficiently so as not to touch regardless of the normal minimum and maximum sizes (two diameters being illustrated). To this end the adapter A is approximately 5 inches in diameter thereby affording a practical compactness for six such cup dispensers.

The adapter A as generally described above involves a hub 35 in addition to the cylindrical wall 30, the hub 35 having a bearing axis and bore concentric with said wall and adapted to rotatably engage on the pivot 24, there being a web 34 supporting the wall 30 from said hub. The cylindrical wall 30 is opened top and bottom with the bearing hub 35 centrally positioned therewithin and having a face supportably engaged to tum upon the flange 25. The height adjustment of mountings B is made possible by the vertical extent of wall 30 which is several times greater than the nominal I height of the said mountings, preferably three times the height of the said mountings. Specifically, the nominal 2 inch spacing of the holes in the mountings B is repeated three fold in spacing holes 40 through the vertical extent of cylindrical wall 30 with an additional margin at the top and bottom ends 31 and 32. Thus, the adapter A is open ended for accessibility whereby mounting screw fasteners 18 are passed through the holes 40 in the wall 30 and secured with nuts 42 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). i

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple stand S and cooperative adapter A that positionably supports a multiplicity of cup dispensers C above a'working surface as shown in FIG. 1, in a compact arrangement wherein different sizes and/or depths of cups can be quickly brought into position for withdrawal as and when the need arises. Removeability of the dispensers is in no way hindered, each being removable for individual adjustment and/or cleaning and replacement. The adapter maintains its installed position by means of gravity, as do the dispensers, and the weighted base of the stand assures sufficient stability of the apparatus since the adapter, mountings, dispensers and cups are all of light weight construction.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention,l do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but

wish to reserve to myself any modifications or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A carrier for adjustably supporting a plurality of elongated vertically disposed tubular cup dispensers and for transporting each of the same into convenient proximity to a person manually withdrawing cups from the bottom of a selected dispenser, and including; a stand comprised of a base with a vertically disposed column projecting upwardly therefrom and having an elevated bearing carried thereby, and a revolvable adapter comprised of a vertically disposed right a cylinder with a concentric hub and bearing rotatably supported upon said elevated bearing and presenting a vertically disposed exterior mounting wall having a vertically disposed series of incrementally spaced mounting holes for each dispenser supported thereby, there being mounting means securing each-of the dispensers to said mounting wall in circumferentially spaced relation to each other, and wherein the said mounting means are each complementaryv to the adapter and have spaced fasteners selectively entering said holes for vertically adjusted securement of each mounting me ans respectively.

2. The cup dispenser carrier as set'forth in claim 1, wherein the'said mounting wall of the adapter has vertically shaped pairs of spaced mounting holes for each dispenser supported spaced and wherein the said mounting means are each complementary to the adapter and have spaced pair of fasteners selectivity entering said pairs of spaced mounting holes for vertically adjusted securement of each mounting means respectively.

3. A carrier for adjustably supporting a plurality of elongated vertically disposed tubular cup dispensers and for transporting each of the same into convenient proximity to a person manually withdrawing cups from the bottom of a selected dispenser, and including; a stand comprised of a base with a vertically disposed column projecting upwardly therefrom and having an elevated bearing carried thereby, and a revolvable adapter comprised of a vertically disposed right cylinder with a concentric hub and bearing rotatably supported upon said elevated bearing and presenting a vertically disposed exterior, wherein the said elevated bearing comprises a nut secured to the base of the stand by a tie-rod, wherein the said elevated bearing of the stand has a pivot projecting upwardly from an up- 6 wardly faced thrust flange, wherein the said hub and bearing of the adapter are engaged around said pivot and upon said thrust flange, wherein the said mounting wall of the adapter has a vertically disposed series of incrementally spaced mounting holes for each dispenser supported thereby, there being mounting means securing each of the dispensers to said mounting wall in circumferentially spaced relation to each other, and wherein the said mounting means are each complementary to the adapter and have spaced fasteners selectively entering said holesfor vertically adjusted securement of each mounting means respectively.

4. The cup dispenser carrier as set forth claim 3, wherein the upwardly faced thrust: flange is on said nut, wherein said mounting wall of the adapter has vertically spaced pairs of spaced mountingholes for each dispenser supported thereby, and wherein the said mounting means are each complementary to the adapter and have spaced fasteners selectively entering said pairs of spaced mounting holes for vertically adjusted securement of each mounting means respective- 

1. A carrier for adjustably supporting a plurality of elongated vertically disposed tubular cup dispensers and for transporting each of the same into convenient proximity to a person manually withdrawing cups from the bottom of a selected dispenser, and including; a stand comprised of a base with a vertically disposed column projecting upwardly therefrom and having an elevated bearing carried thereby, and a revolvable adapter comprised of a vertically disposed right cylinder with a concentric hub and bearing rotatably supported upon said elevated bearing and presenting a vertically disposed exterior mounting wall having a vertically disposed series of incrementally spaced mounting holes for each dispenser supported thereby, there being mounting means securing each of the dispensers to said mounting wall in circumferentially spaced relation to each other, and wherein the said mounting means are each complementary to the adapter and have spaced fasteners selectively entering said holes for vertically adjusted securement of each mounting means respectively.
 2. The cup dispenser carrier as set forth in claim 1, wherein the said mounting wall of the adapter has vertically shaped pairs of spaced mounting holes for each dispenser supported spaced and wherein the said mounting means are each complementary to the adapter and have spaced pair of fasteners selectivity entering said pairs of spaced mounting holes for vertically adjusted securement of each mounting means respectively.
 3. A carrier for adjustably supporting a plurality of elongated vertically disposed tubular cup dispensers and for transporting each of the same into convenient proximity to a person manually withdrawing cups from the bottom of a selected dispenser, and including; a stand comprised of a base with a vertically disposed column projecting upwardly therefrom and having an elevated bearing carried thereby, and a revolvable adapter comprised of a vertically disposed right cylinder with a concentric hub and bearing rotatably supported upon said elevated bearing and presenting a vertically disposed exterior, wherein the said elevated bearing comprises a nut secured to the base of the stand by a tie-rod, wherein the said elevated bearing of the stand has a pivot projecting upwardly from an upwardly faced thrust flange, wherein the said hub and bearing of the adapter are engaged around said pivot and upon said thrust flange, wherein the said mounting wall of the adapter has a vertically disposed series of incrementally spaced mounting holes for each dispenser supported thereby, there being mounting means securing each of the dispensers to said mounting wall in circumferentially spaced relation to each other, and wherein the said mounting means are each complementary to the adapter and have spaced fasteners selectively entering said holes for vertically adjusted securement of each mounting means respectively.
 4. The cup dispenser carrier as set forth claIm 3, wherein the upwardly faced thrust flange is on said nut, wherein said mounting wall of the adapter has vertically spaced pairs of spaced mounting holes for each dispenser supported thereby, and wherein the said mounting means are each complementary to the adapter and have spaced fasteners selectively entering said pairs of spaced mounting holes for vertically adjusted securement of each mounting means respectively. 